Mississippi River Water Trails Association – Pool 26 Survey Project

The Ebb and Flow of the Big River
Mississippi River water gage level dropped 5.3 feet from September 12, 2022 to today, April 19, 2023

April 19, 2023
by Bob Virag

Mississippi River water levels are way down.

Mary Mierkowski and I helped Mississippi River Water Trail Association with their annual site surveys today. We couldn't access the boat ramps and primitive campsites by kayak as we've done in the past because of low water and high winds. Instead we surveyed most of the lower Pool 26 sites by car. The drop in river level is striking. 5.3 feet lower than it was when the MMNs toured Dresser Island's Brickhouse Slough 7-months ago on September 12, 2022. Here are "then-and-now" photos for comparison, and a graph of the river gage through that period. The Army Corps regulates the water levels based on conditions by opening the dam gates to maintain a 9-foot minimum navigation channel. The river is close to that now.

THEN
MMNs at Dresser Island Access last year, September 12, 2022. We floated well above the many tree stumps mired in the bottom of Brickhouse Slough, 5 feet below the surface of the water.

NOW
Dresser Island Access today, April 19, 2023. The dry riverbed is exposed, as are all the tree stumps that we blissfully paddled over, 7 months ago.